Synthesis of Sub-2 nm Iron-Doped NiSe2 Nanowires and Their Surface-Confined Oxidation for Oxygen Evolution Catalysis

Chao Gu; Shaojin Hu; Xusheng Zheng; Min-Rui Gao; Ya-Rong Zheng; Lei Shi; Qiang Gao; Xiao Zheng; Wangsheng Chu; Hong-Bin Yao; Junfa Zhu; Shu-Hong Yu

doi:10.1002/anie.201800883

Synthesis of Sub-2 nm Iron-Doped NiSe₂ Nanowires and Their Surface-Confined Oxidation for Oxygen Evolution Catalysis

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2018 Apr 3;57(15):4020-4024. doi: 10.1002/anie.201800883. Epub 2018 Mar 8.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Division of Nanomaterials & Chemistry, Hefei National Research Centre for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Centre for Excellence in Nanoscience, Collaborative Innovation Centre of Suzhou Nano Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
² Division of Theoretical and Computational Sciences, Hefei National Research Centre for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, CAS Centre for Excellence and Synergetic Innovation Centre in Quantum Information and Quantum Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China.
³ National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029, China.

PMID: 29442419
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201800883

Abstract

Ultrathin nanostructures are attractive for diverse applications owing to their unique properties compared to their bulk materials. Transition-metal chalcogenides are promising electrocatalysts, yet it remains difficult to make ultrathin structures (sub-2 nm), and the realization of their chemical doping is even more challenging. Herein we describe a soft-template mediated colloidal synthesis of Fe-doped NiSe₂ ultrathin nanowires (UNWs) with diameter down to 1.7 nm. The synergistic interplay between oleylamine and 1-dodecanethiol is crucial to yield these UNWs. The in situ formed amorphous hydroxide layers that is confined to the surface of the ultrathin scaffolds enable efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysis. The UNWs exhibit a very low overpotential of 268 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 in 0.1 m KOH, as well as remarkable long-term stability, representing one of the most efficient noble-metal-free catalysts.

Keywords: colloidal synthesis; doping; oxygen evolution; soft template; ultrathin nanowires.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't